As robots move into increasingly collaborative and human-centered environments, Human-Robot Interaction is becoming a key capability for next-generation robotic systems. Vulcanexus HRI, developed within the eProsima-led Vulcanexus ecosystem, introduces a modular framework for integrating perception, communication and interaction capabilities into ROS 2 applications.
Developed and led by eProsima, Vulcanexus is an open-source, all-in-one ROS 2 software stack that combines robotics tools, middleware technologies and integration capabilities into a unified platform for modern robotic systems. Built on top of Fast DDS, Vulcanexus provides the communication foundation required for scalable, distributed and production-ready robotics applications.
Within this ecosystem, Vulcanexus HRI introduces a practical framework for integrating Human-Robot Interaction capabilities into ROS 2 applications. Presented as a modular stack for perception, communication and interaction, Vulcanexus HRI helps developers create more human-aware robotic systems while benefiting from the performance, interoperability and flexibility offered by the ROS 2 and Fast DDS ecosystem.
The framework includes modules for face detection, human pose recognition, emotion recognition, visual displays, speech-to-text and text-to-speech, together with shared HRI message definitions that allow these components to work together as part of one coherent system. These modules can be used independently or combined depending on application requirements, making the framework suitable both for experimentation and for more advanced interactive robotic systems.
One of the main strengths of Vulcanexus HRI is its ability to integrate naturally into distributed ROS 2 architectures. By leveraging Fast DDS communication technology, the framework allows perception, interaction and contextual information to be exchanged efficiently across robotic components, enabling scalable and interoperable human-aware systems without requiring major architectural redesigns.
That matters especially now, as HRI continues to evolve at remarkable speed. New perception models, speech technologies and multimodal interfaces are constantly reshaping expectations around what robots should be able to understand and express. In that context, developers need more than isolated features: they need practical frameworks capable of integrating these technologies in a structured, reusable and scalable way.
For eProsima, Vulcanexus HRI represents a clear example of how middleware innovation is shaping the future of robotics. By combining ROS 2, Vulcanexus and Fast DDS, developers can build robotic systems where human-related data becomes part of a scalable, interoperable and high-performance architecture prepared for the next generation of intelligent robotic applications.
Developers interested in exploring Vulcanexus HRI can access the Getting Started documentation through the Vulcanexus platform. Organizations building advanced robotic systems can also learn more about eProsima technologies, including Fast DDS and Vulcanexus, for scalable and production-ready ROS 2 deployments.
